IOA suspension: A dream comes true for the likes of Kalmadi

The reported suspension of Indian Olympics Association (IOA) by the International Olympics Committee (IOC) has been dubbed as a great embarrassment for India. Everybody is berating the government for interference in the functioning of our sports bodies. Apparently, it is this interference that has forced the international body to take the drastic step which not only embarrasses the country, but will deny Indian athletes the right to participate in Olympic events.

It has been made to look like a tragedy for our athletes — years of their toil and hard work will never be rewarded, all due to the insensitive government’s interference. And the poor and hapless sports administrators are crestfallen that the government did not heed their warnings and forced them to conduct elections under the government’s sports code and not the Olympics charter.

I am not in possession complete information yet, but one thing I am pretty certain of is that all this is balderdash, or at least borders on that. The only thing that is correct is that the poor athletes, who always toil and give their life for the nation’s glory, are indeed the losers in this charade. They were helpless earlier. They are helpless even now. As for the officials, the government and all others who administer these sporting bodies, they are merely playing a game. When the administrators like Kalmadi, Bhanot, Chautala and Malhotra, among others, shed tears, they are crocodilian and when the government reacts in dismay, it is play-acting.

Remember, all sports bodies are controlled by politicians and they seem to have a lifelong authority over them. Also, remember that our courts have been trying to push for tenure-based posts, something that politicians are opposed to. The latest development suits all these goons just right!

True, the IOC wants national Olympic bodies to be elected under the Olympic charter and NOT under a government code. Which is fair. But, the IOC also never wants that its bodies be governed by gents with little or no scruples. It almost seems as if the sports administrators in India were hoping that IOC would suspend them. It was almost as if conditions were being created for this action, for that is what the need of the hour for these corrupt people was. And it has been delivered, unwittingly by the international body. So now, a ‘chastened’ government would back off and even the courts would be told how the ‘well-intentioned’ work will have to be put on hold, lest the nation’s prestige take further beating. And we know how, once it is the nation’s prestige that is being talked about as at stake, no one one will have the guts to do anything else. Do you realise how this entire situation is simply tailor-made for those for whom the status quo remains. And that means status quo in tenure, no questions asked loot, run associations and federations at whim, like their fiefdom.

I am reminded of an infamous sports administrator not too long ago, who, at the height of the Commonwealth Games controversy and when too many questions were being raised over his style of functioning and corruption charges, was quoted as saying something to the effect that: Let there be a major embarrassment. Let the nation’s reputation be damaged. It will ensure none comes anywhere close to interfering in the sports bodies for at least 50 years.

This was the statement of a crafty and slimy politician. For him, the country’s prestige was only a charade. All that he wanted was power and unbridled freedom to loot the country in the name of sports. Sadly, he is not the only one and the present charade that has happened is testimony to that.

As always, it is the athlete who loses and the gullible common man who is made a fool of. So today, as we mourn the embarrassment, remember, there are any number of politicians who are celebrating. Their prayers of an international embarrassment that will ensure no one in India will have the guts to question them have been answered.

Author

Rajesh Kalra is the Chief Editor of Times Internet and business head for the non-English languages properties. A journalist for two decades, he also tried his hands at entrepreneurship in between. Although he has written on several subjects, he has a weakness for IT and telecommunications. He is an avid sportsman, a trained high-altitude mountaineer, a passionate mountain biker and a marathoner. His blog, Random Access, will cover issues that take into account these varied interests.
Follow @rajeshkalra on Twitter

Rajesh Kalra is the Chief Editor of Times Internet and business head for the non-English languages properties. A journalist for two decades, he also tried h. . .

IOA suspension: A dream come true for Indian politicians

The reported suspension of Indian Olympics Association (IOA) by the International Olympics Committee (IOC) has been dubbed as a great embarrassment for India. Everybody is berating the government for interference in the functioning of our sports bodies. Apparently, it is this interference that has forced the international body to take the drastic step which not only embarrasses the country, but will deny Indian athletes the right to participate in Olympic events.

It has been made to look like a tragedy for our athletes — years of their toil and hard work will never be rewarded, all due to the insensitive government’s interference. And the poor and hapless sports administrators are crestfallen that the government did not heed their warnings and forced them to conduct elections under the government’s sports code and not the Olympics charter.

I am not in possession complete information yet, but one thing I am pretty certain of is that all this is balderdash, or at least borders on that. The only thing that is correct is that the poor athletes, who always toil and give their life for the nation’s glory, are indeed the losers in this charade. They were helpless earlier. They are helpless even now. As for the officials, the government and all others who administer these sporting bodies, they are merely playing a game. When the administrators like Kalmadi, Bhanot, Chautala and Malhotra, among others, shed tears, they are crocodilian and when the government reacts in dismay, it is play-acting.

Remember, all sports bodies are controlled by politicians and they seem to have a lifelong authority over them. Also, remember that our courts have been trying to push for tenure-based posts, something that politicians are opposed to. The latest development suits all these goons just right!

True, the IOC wants national Olympic bodies to be elected under the Olympic charter and NOT under a government code. Which is fair. But, the IOC also never wants that its bodies be governed by gents with little or no scruples. It almost seems as if the sports administrators in India were hoping that IOC would suspend them. It was almost as if conditions were being created for this action, for that is what the need of the hour for these corrupt people was. And it has been delivered, unwittingly by the international body. So now, a ‘chastened’ government would back off and even the courts would be told how the ‘well-intentioned’ work will have to be put on hold, lest the nation’s prestige take further beating. And we know how, once it is the nation’s prestige that is being talked about as at stake, no one one will have the guts to do anything else. Do you realise how this entire situation is simply tailor-made for those for whom the status quo remains. And that means status quo in tenure, no questions asked loot, run associations and federations at whim, like their fiefdom.

I am reminded of an infamous sports administrator not too long ago, who, at the height of the Commonwealth Games controversy and when too many questions were being raised over his style of functioning and corruption charges, was quoted as saying something to the effect that: Let there be a major embarrassment. Let the nation’s reputation be damaged. It will ensure none comes anywhere close to interfering in the sports bodies for at least 50 years.

This was the statement of a crafty and slimy politician. For him, the country’s prestige was only a charade. All that he wanted was power and unbridled freedom to loot the country in the name of sports. Sadly, he is not the only one and the present charade that has happened is testimony to that.

As always, it is the athlete who loses and the gullible common man who is made a fool of. So today, as we mourn the embarrassment, remember, there are any number of politicians who are celebrating. Their prayers of an international embarrassment that will ensure no one in India will have the guts to question them have been answered.

Jai WOE!

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Author

Rajesh Kalra is the Chief Editor of Times Internet and business head for the non-English languages properties. A journalist for two decades, he also tried his hands at entrepreneurship in between. Although he has written on several subjects, he has a weakness for IT and telecommunications. He is an avid sportsman, a trained high-altitude mountaineer, a passionate mountain biker and a marathoner. His blog, Random Access, will cover issues that take into account these varied interests.
Follow @rajeshkalra on Twitter

Rajesh Kalra is the Chief Editor of Times Internet and business head for the non-English languages properties. A journalist for two decades, he also tried h. . .

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Author

Rajesh Kalra is the Chief Editor of Times Internet and business head for the non-English languages properties. A journalist for two decades, he also tried his hands at entrepreneurship in between. Although he has written on several subjects, he has a weakness for IT and telecommunications. He is an avid sportsman, a trained high-altitude mountaineer, a passionate mountain biker and a marathoner. His blog, Random Access, will cover issues that take into account these varied interests.
Follow @rajeshkalra on Twitter

Rajesh Kalra is the Chief Editor of Times Internet and business head for the non-English languages properties. A journalist for two decades, he also tried h. . .